Help needed on confirming date of tweed suit

[Lauren]

Hello,
I would really appreciate some input on this suit I bought for my husband for Christmas. I just got it in the mail today, and it feels a little off to me for some reason.

It has a 1941 dated tag inside, but the date is kind of darker than the rest of the label- it looks like it may have gone over in ballpoint pen. I want to believe it's really a 40's suit, since it has a lot of the characteristics of one, and it's very well made, but for some reason it reads as 1970s to me in person. I know they mimicked the 40s, and the suit is in beautiful condition, and it is made in an old style, but it still feels not quite right for some reason, and the date being marked darker makes me a little wary (but it could have well been done before the seller got the suit, so I'm in no way saying the seller was trying to pull anything, because I don't believe that's the case). I'm not sure if it's because it's a bit abnormal for a 1940s suit (thick tweed, fully lined, etc), or if there's a chance it is a later suit that may have been marked as earlier.

I would really appreciate any input. I want to make sure it's really 1940s before I figure out if I want to give it to him for Christmas or if I need to contact the seller to see what to do (and would appreciate advice on that, if that's the case). I'm so confused and don't know menswear all that well other than a general overview type thing. And I'm really hoping it's 40s!
You can see pictures on this post on Tumblr.

 

[Lauren]

I also asked Marc Chevalier about this suit and he tells me he thinks it's 1940s, so I'm very happy that it seems I did well

 

[Guttersnipe]

I can see why the long vent would give reason to pause, but long vents were not totally unknown in the era.

For example, hacking jackets (specialized coats for equestrian activities) always feature a long vent. Judging from the fabric, that suit was intended for "country" wear (e.g., wearing during outdoors activities), hence its "sporty" features such as the vent, the belt back, the patch pockets, and "earthy" color.

Also, the details on the trousers in unmistakably 30s/40s.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Very nice suit. Your husband is lucky!

 

[Lauren]

Thanks so much for your input, gents! Much appreciated!! I'm glad to know that I wasn't off on my first impression of the suit. I just kind of freaked out for a second. But at least all those things that made me question if it was 70s shows there were pretty awesome "golden era" stylings that were rehashed then SO glad it's a 1940s suit! And the seller was so very gracious and had such good stock that I would have been surprised if it wasn't what it said it was.

Marc answered me on his new vintage menswear facebook page, too, so here it is should anyone be interested.

Your vintage tweed suit is difficult to date at first glance, because it's Ivy League in style. So-called "Ivy League" suits and sportcoats date back to the early 1900s, and they hardly changed at all for the next 80 years. They really are in a class unto themselves. I have one from the 1930s (dated) and another from the mid 1940s (also dated). They look virtually identical to your suit: boxy, with unflashy 3-to-2 lapels with high notches, and big patch pockets. The trousers are nearly identical in style and proportion as well.

In sum, I do believe that your suit is indeed from the 1940s. I can't stress enough that these kinds of suits and sportcoats were their own breed. They didn't run with the other herds, and that's probably why America's East Coast, Ivy League-educated "old guard" wore them. By the way, your suit is from a Cambridge, Massachusetts haberdashery that catered to Harvard University students and staff.

 

[NewtonSuit]

Hi All,

I am the seller of this suit. There was some controversy about it's age, and the buyer returned the suit, which I was happy to accept. He thought it to be a 1971 reproduction of a 1940s suit. There was some ambiguity regarding the date on the label. I specialize primarily in 50s and 60s stuff so I'm by no means a 40s suiting expert. I certainly wouldn't attempt to alter a date on a tailor tag or misrepresent a suit, so in the interest of disambiguation I've re-listed the suit with photos of the label and close-ups of the fabric, and it states that the suit could potentially be a 1970s repro. The date thing has kind of thrown me for a loop. I can't sell it as a 40s suit and have a recipient thinking it to be of 70s vintage, and at the same time I can't sell it as a 70s and have a buyer expecting a 70s suit think it to be 40s. I don't want to cut out the custom label, but I suppose I could redact the date. I guess I can neither confirm nor deny that it is a 70s suit, but the description in the listing is accurate in terms of color and detailing. Any input would be greatly appreciated, since this era is outside my wheelhouse. The suit is listed here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/103287718/bespoke-42r-heavy-tweed-green-action